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About Us
SHRM Spartanburg is a SHRM affiliated chapter, formerly known as SHRA (Spartanburg Human Resources Association) and is a member of the South Carolina SHRM State Council (SC SHRM). Dating back to 1946, our members were primarily from the textile industry. At some point, the group became affiliated with the American Society of Personnel Management now known as the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the chapter eventually changed its name to Spartanburg Human Resources Association. The membership has diversified along with the Spartanburg economy and the chapter has adapted to the many changes in the Human Resource Management practices and methodology, but the concept of an association of “professionals who are interested in providing opportunities to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally” has remained a constant. Today, our mission is to become the recognized leader in Human Resources Management in the Spartanburg area, bringing together professionals who are interested in providing opportunities to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally.
We can trace our origins to 1946 when a group was formed to be known as the Spartanburg Area Personnel Association (SAPA). This association’s early members were exclusively from the textile industry. By all accounts, at the time this group was formed, Human Resource Management as we know it today was an “emerging” profession in the Spartanburg area. According to Vernon Foster, an early member and SAPA President in 1970, “Most of the early Association members were “draftees” in the sense that they had no prior experience, training, or even basic understanding of the principles of personnel administration.” A large percentage of the early membership had been recruited by their companies from public school teaching and/or coaching. Foster articulated the reasons for forming the group as 1) “a sincere objective by textile company owners to avoid any of the reasons for a series of violent pre-World War II confrontations between management and employees”, and 2) “the need by top management to keep accurately and timely informed of the constantly escalating demands of Federal and State regulatory agencies such as Wage and Hour, OSHA, EEOC, DHEC, and on and on and on”. In 1957, Pete Brown of the Kohler Company became the first non-textile member. SAPA at some point became affiliated with the American Society of Personnel Management—now known as SHRM.
Later in 2022, the chapter became a SHRM Dual Member Release (DMR) affiliated chapter. By doing so, the chapter membership eligibility changed, requiring individuals to be members to both SHRM and the chapter. However, this change does not limit the chapter's outreach to all HR professionals in the Spartanburg area. For more information please contact the Membership Director for the chapter.
OUR PURPOSE
Mission Statement
To become the recognized leader in Human Resource Management in the Spartanburg area, bringing together professionals who are interested in providing opportunities to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally.
Goals and Objectives for the Chapter
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To improve the professional competence of all members.
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To raise the standards of performance in all phases of Human Resource Management.
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To encourage and facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among members.
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To support the goals and purposes of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
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To provide technical and professional support for community and educational activities
